In Situ Soil Testing : Advantages and Disadvantages

This article is about In Situ Soil Testing. We will present you several of its Advantages and Disadvantages. This In Situ Soil testing is really common in the construction work. We can make everything on site very practically. Unfortunately, there are several things we should consider regarding In situ Soil Testing.

Below are In Situ Soil Testing Advantages and Disadvantages based on an Indian Geotechnical Engineer, Suryakanta :

In Situ Soil Testing Advantages :

Tests are carried out in place in the natural environment without sampling disturbance , which can cause detrimental effects and modifications to stresses, strains, drainage, fabric and particle arrangement

Continuous profiles of stratigraphy and engineering properties/characteristics can be obtained.

Detection of planes of weakness and defects are more likely and practical

Methods are usually fast, repeatable, produce large amounts of information and are cost effective

Tests can be carried out in soils that are either impossible or difficult to sample without the use of expensive specialized methods

A large volume of soil may be tested than is normally practical for laboratory testing. This may be more representative of the soil mass.

In Situ Soil Testing Disadvantages :

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Samples are not obtained; the soil tested cannot be positively identified. The exception to this is the SPT in which a sample, although disturbed, is obtained.

The fundamental behavior of soils during testing is not well understood.

Drainage conditions during testing are not known

Consistent, rational interpretation is often difficult and uncertain

The stress path imposed during testing may bear no resemblance to the stress path induced by full-scale engineering structure

Most push-in devices are not suitable for a wide range of ground conditions

Some disturbance is imparted to the ground by the insertion or installation of the instrument

There is usually no direct measurement of engineering properties. Empirical correlations usually have to be applied to interpret and obtain engineering properties and designs